The Raven
by The Star Thief
Summary: A black origami bird was left each the crime scene; they're calling the killer the Raven. "Think of it as a game of chess, you have to think several moves ahead." Have the ninjas meet their match?
1. Chapter 1: The Killer

_**A/N: There are descriptions of the murder not highly detailed but enough to be potentially triggering**_

Chapter One

She smiled, satisfied with her work. Carefully, she set an origami bird on top of her masterpiece. The black bird stood out against the glistening crimson red; it appeared as if the bird was bleeding. She frowned, but quick glance at the clock reminded her of the time limit. _This will have to do._ She thought before reluctantly walking away.

* * *

Martin sat at the dinning table, papers and files spread across. He rubbed his temples and groaned.

"What's wrong, dad?" Mike inquired from the doorway, Amanda and Owen right behind him.

"Oh," He looked up, "nothing, just another case; there's a string of crimes and they only thing connecting them in a little black origami bird."

"An origami bird?" Owen questioned, "Why that on earth would you chose make origami right after-"

"So there are no pictures of the suspect?" Amanda cut off Owen's tangent.

Martin shook his head. "Unfortunately no; this guy is good. All camera and alarms are disabled ahead of time; there's never been a witness, and barely any DNA. We got a partial print on one of the birds, but not enough to match with anything in the data base."

The trio scanned the papers looking for something to go on other than a paper bird. Mike's eyes widened, "Dad," he grabbed a paper, "You didn't tell me they were murders."

Martin sighed. "I was hoping I wouldn't have too. The deaths at first appeared accidental. The bird was overlooked at first, but now it's obviously a sign of the killer."

Amanda and Owen read the paper. "Are all these people the victims?" Amanda asked.

"I really want you guys to be careful okay?" Martin took a deep breath. "We have a serial killer on the lose."

* * *

"You know Fukanaga, I'm pretty sure this isn't what your dad meant by 'be careful'." Owen said, only half watching the city street.

"Well how else are we going to stop this killer!" Mike retorted, diverting his attention.

"Guys shut up!" Amanda interjected. "We have a long night ahead of us and we won't get anything done if you two don't pay attention."

"You said that the past three nights." Owen responded, having to get the last word.

Amanda rolled her eyes and bit her tongue, now was not the time.

* * *

The knife sliced through the skin with ease and procession. Blood trailed along the knife. A whimper escaped the victim's lips. The knife stopped its deadly trail. The killer held one finger to her masked face and moved the bloodstained knife to the victim's eyes. A trail of crimson tears fell from the victim's temple down his face mixing with the salt tears.

A gloved hand motioned for him to take off his shirt, to which he complied. This cut was deeper than the others were; the knife grazed his ribs. The scream although muffled by duct tape was still spin chilling. _Shit. At least a chose a secluded spot._ In one fluid movement, she sliced his jugular; the screaming stopped.

"Drop, the knife." The voice startled her and the knife hit the worn tile. Carefully she turned around. She held her hand up. There was enough moonlight to identify three figures all dressed in black. Two males, one female, judging by stature.

"Good," the smaller male said. "Now step away from the person." She complied. The taller male examined the body then squealed. _Huh, I thought ninjas were supposed to be quiet._ "Uncle Chuck." He breathed. The other two gave the taller one a sympathetic look before returning their attention to her.

Her mind raced attempting to calculate the best way out. Under her mask, she smiled. She lowered her hand and began making frantic gestures, which were stopped when on pinned her hands behind her back.

"Wait, no she was trying to say something." The female said. "It was sign language." _Impressive. Looks like I won't have to resort to plan B._

"But she's not deaf." The one pinned her hand countered. The killer rolled her eyes. _Obviously._

"She's mute." The smaller male announced. The masked girl nodded. "Let her hands go; she has no weapon." _Well, they're taking a risk aren't they?_ She deliberately signed each word, facing the female.

The ninja nodded and signed back. "Basically, she said she's being blackmailed into this. The person will kill her family in front her then her if she doesn't listen. She can't say anymore because if word gets out she and everyone she love will die."

The masked girl was able to take advantage of the situation, each time she sign she moved slightly. Now her position was perfect. Eyeing the female, she made one last sign. Swiftly she grabbed her fallen knife, kicking the taller in the balls, and through the knife in the direction of the other two. She used the ninja she kicked, who was doubled over in pain and a platform to make her way out the window. _Ninjas. This will get interesting._

* * *

 ** _A/N: Hope you enjoyed! A bit more gruesome compared to my other writings, but I see it fitting. Consider this a heads up, the goriness can only get worse._**

 ** _Black origami, Sherlock anyone? My friend got me started on it (I'm not that far into it...) ... so I've been watching a lot of crime stuff and that's how you get this more darker (?) storyline. I just thought it was interesting to have a criminal that was... well a killer because that has not been done before (not that I'm aware at least)_**

 ** _Feedback is lovely and appreciated!_**


	2. Chapter 2: Game On

**Chapter Two**

If Amber Kane wasn't bound at the moment, her hands would be shaking uncontrollably. She tried screaming until her throat was raw. Surely the high pitched shirking sound was bound to get some one's attention. Unfortunately, no one heard her.

The killer chuckled. "No one can hear you; that's why you aren't gaged, dumbass." A sharp pain spread down her left arm. The rope around her wrist was cut and the killer deliberately slit her left wrist. "Now," Amber's soon to be murder command. "I want you to leave a message." A gloved hand moved Amber's trembling hand and dipped it into the blood pouring from her forearm.

"Write my exact words: Game on Ninjas."

Amber complied, not that she had much of a choice. Beneath the mask, the killer smiled. "Excellent." _No doubt, this will throw them through a loop._ "Now," She circled the girl on the floor. "What to do with you?" After turning over a few different ideas, she place the knife into the girl's trembling hand and guided the blade into her ribcage. Her screams were weakened from blood loss.

The killer looked around the abandoned shack for signs of movements. _Pity, I thought they would show._

* * *

"Ninjas?" Mike questioned, looking at crime scene photos. In blood, the words _Game on Ninjas_ was written on the floor next to the victim's body.

"Yeah, apparently they're some urban legend that or something. Ninjas are helping solve crimes and what not." Martin said dismissively. "Actually between you and me the same thing was written in Checkmate's cell at Eturnum Asylum before he escaped. It seems to be a taunt to them."

"Wait, how did he escape?" Amanda asked, although she already new the answer.

"Some panel was disrupted. It trigged the alarm system temporarily releasing any inmates. Luckily, most of them were at group session and thought the alarm was some sort of drill. He was the only one they couldn't find." Martin replied. "No one really continued to look for him since he hasn't caused many problems until now."

"So Checkmate is the Raven?" Owen asked.

"That's the theory, and its the best we have." Martin sighed; this murder was causing an extreme amount of stress on the police force.

* * *

Amanda had kept quiet while Mike and Owen exchanged theory, each one getting more ridiculous than the next and in Owen's case usual involved food. _We really should start keeping snacks down here, so we don't have to here this every other day..._

"Alright Fukanaga. Why don't we just ask Amanada what she thinks?" Amanda's head snapped up at the mention of her name.

It took everything in her not to go all bug eyed when Martin mentioned Checkmate. After all, it was her fault he escaped and is now, potentially, a serial killer. But something bothered her. _Why did he start killing, and robbing? He was so obsessed with chess, why would he switch to origami birds?_ Things just were not adding up. Then it struck her.

"I think I've got it." Amanda spoke for the first time since they've gotten into the dojo. "Checkmate must be the one blackmailing the girl. The bird is used to throw people off."

"Okay, but I'm still don't like the girl that much. She almost took Fukanga's head off, and I couldn't walk right for the next day." Owen shuddered at the memory.

"Amanda said she signed an apology before that. Remember?" Mike said, although he still felt uneasy about the mute girl. "So anyway, what to we make of the message 'game on ninjas'?"

Guilt began to form in Amanda's chest. "There was something I didn't tell you guys." Amanda's confidence waned. "When we were at Eturnum's, I ran into Checkmate. He told me he sent a message for us; he was the one who told the Eturnum and he was the one who told me about the panel." She couldn't look either of her friends in the eye.

"You were the one who cut the power?" Mike didn't accuse her; he was in a state of disbelief.

Amanda merely nodded. "He told me that it would disrupt Eturnum's experiment. I just didn't want to take a chance of you becoming some sort of experiment... I ended up playing right into his hand..." Her voice trailed off. It was entirely her fault wasn't it?

"Amanda, do not take on the guilt for other people's wrong doings." Hologramps appeared offering comforting words. "It was not you who killed those people, or manipulated the girl. You could not have predicted his actions. You did want any compassionate person would have done."

"Hologramps is right. It's not your fault that you care about Mike." Owen added.

Despite her friends' constant consonances, she still felt as if she was as guilty as Checkmate himself. _Only I actually feel guilt_... Amanda forced a smile. "Thanks guys. I'll keep that in mind." _I enabled Checkmate to go this killing spree, and I'll be the one to stop him._ She vowed. "So, now that we know Checkmate is our prime suspect, where should we look?" She diverted the conversation.

* * *

They chose the city armory. It their first encounter with Checkmate.

This place left a bitter taste in Amanda's mouth. She almost got her and her friends killed. At least now she knows it easier to run from a bomb than to try and deactivate it. Although, she has done some more research, but she wasn't willing to take the risk again.

Amanda stared at writing on the statue. _Thanks to you, my Queen._ it read. Amanda wanted to punch the stone statue. "Guys." She called them through clenched teach. "I found something."

* * *

"Amanda you seriously need to stop beating yourself up." Mike noticed Amanda's distress since his dad first mention Checkmate; since then, she seemed more determined than ever to catch the killer. The taunting message only made her more determined. He watched her furiously kick and punch at Yamato, occasionally landing a few blows that were bound to hurt tomorrow.

"I'm not." She said defensively, before grabbing her tonfa sticks. "I'm just frustrated because it's been a week since the message and there has been no sign of Checkmate. Plus we haven't been able to find any sort of pattern to the killings or robberies. Not to mention the since the killer hasn't been caught they've canceled cheerleading, tennis, and field hockey." She ended a series of moves before returning to her fighting stance.

Mike recalled the last time she was like this. Training non-stop trying to get everything perfect, Amanda had been down here with him more often than not. Many times there were nights like tonight, was just the two of them training or looking over information. Owen commented that her case of over-achieviness had returned, and recieved a punch in the arm.

"I think you should take a break." Mike commented. "You've been going at it for ages. It won't help if you're exhausted."

Amanda dropped her fighting stance. She looked almost defeated. "I guess you're right." Mike motioned for her to sit down next to him.

"Thank goodness. I thought I was going to bust a circuit. That was the closest thing to a challenge you guys had given me." Yamato announced before walking off.

Amanda was about to make some remark about Yamato's comment, but Mike stopped her. "So how's the academic competition going?" Perhaps getting Amanda started on another stressful thing was not the best idea, but it was the first thing that came to mind. A few ago she mention this girl in a lot of her class, who was supposed to be wicked smart.

Amanda groaned. "Natalie? We're lab partner in chem and it sucks."

"She that bad?" Mike didn't really know Natalie; they never really crossed paths. Mike just had a fuzzy recollection of a small girl with brown hair and eyes to match.

"No. She's actually really nice."

"And that's a bad thing?" Mike was not following Amanda's train of thought.

"Yes. It'd be a lot easier hate her if she was mean." Amanda saw Mike's expression and clarified. "She's competition, and it's easier to complete against some one if you hate them."

Mike nodded along, letting Amanda vent about her frustrations.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. I really do appreciate feedback, like comments/faves/follows. it's motivational... so uh yeah. If you could please do either one, I'd greatly appreciate it**_  
 _ **(ps. I finished Sherlock *screams*)**_


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